


A Feather on a Stone

by TempestuousPetticoat (Neon_Opal)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, Barely Legal, Charms, Comfort Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hugs, Kissing, Late Night Conversations, Moonlight, Romantic Friendship, Sexual Content, Spells & Enchantments, Teacher-Student Relationship, Wine, You Have Been Warned, compassion - Freeform, compulsive neatness, mentions bisexuality, or not depending where you are
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-11
Updated: 2013-10-11
Packaged: 2017-12-28 23:30:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/998200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neon_Opal/pseuds/TempestuousPetticoat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Warning- legal age varies depending where you are in the world, things like this are hard to tag so here it is before the summary so you can decide how you feel about it. Student/teacher relationship so obviously an age difference)<br/>One evening Luna Lovegood finally decides she needs to head off Professor Snape who she has seen doing a lot of late night wandering and offer him some understanding and sexual healing. Snape's morals do cause him to debate the temptation set before him but Luna is so subtly forward that she seem to almost take for granted that he'll accept. She really just wants to help and distract him a bit from wine and restless wandering even for a short while. He heeds a hug and she knows it more than he does.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Feather on a Stone

**Author's Note:**

> the underage-ish thing is a bit weird for me (never ventured here before) but somehow the inspiration seemed to fit and I just try to go with them even if it's to an unknown place. It's soft and sweet and consentual but it's the age difference. In some ways they work so well as a pairing to me if you think on it and her age is part of what drives this story so didn't want to just "fast forward". Read the warning/tags. As you'll find with me I often don't think of exatectly where in the timeline this fits, maybe it's an alternate universe -that doesn't matter too much to the story... Luna is 16-ish.  
> Disclaimer-I do not own the Harry Potter world created by J.K. Rowling. I make no money from where it takes me.  
> Musical inspirations- electric violinist Ed Allyene-Johnson "Indigo" and anything from the Untraviolet album, Ben Howards "Empty Corridors", for the music Luna conjures I was thinking of a slightly more mellow etherial version of the antique disc music boxes, they have brand names like Mira, Polyphon and Regina and can be found on youtube if you want an idea .  
> 

*~*

Luna Lovegood finally spotted Professor Shape at the end of a long hallway, striding purposefully yet aimlessly as she’d noticed only he could do. She’d realized recently she often saw him doing the equivalent of pacing around the castle, seeming to be on a mission but going nowhere, walking here and there with that aimless purposes for hours or even all night. She’d kept herself hidden when she could and since she was not known to cause trouble, if it was after hours she’d act as if sleep walking as she was known to do or unsettled and he’d simply order her back to her dorm and she’d go. Sometimes he’d be so much someplace else he wouldn’t even notice her at all. Tonight would be different; she was feeling sorry for him and felt the need to act, so she started off towards him. 

“Good evening Professor Snape, you’re troubled by something.” She said calmly without preamble when she reached him.

“Good evening Miss Lovegood, why ever should you say that?” She’d caught him off guard with her forwardness. No one did that, not even his peers. How odd this young woman was, she never seemed frightened of him and never had provoked his wrath.

“I had wanted to talk to you professor. I need to share something with you. Can we go someplace private, more comfortable than your office? Your apartment’s maybe?”  
That was a little unorthodox but students so rarely sought any sort of talk or advice from him, usually they were afraid to and terrified if called before him in his office. Snape saw her point however, it was quite late to be seen lingering in the corridor talking about anything private. 

“Is it that important it can’t wait till after tomorrows’ classes?” He questioned her, she was often such a silly girl Merilin only knew what outlandish thing it could end up being about.

“Yes Sir, it is, “she said earnestly.

Snape responded, “Very well but come along quickly. I’d feel uncomfortable if anyone noticed.” He really had nothing else to do.

“Oh, no one will and you are beyond reproach anyway.” She said knowingly.

Another strange thing in the first part, but likley true in the second, he realized.

*~*  
As they entered his sitting room and he closed and locked the door and hung his outer robe on a hook there out of habit.

“I’m really not sure how I can be of help with anything other than some tricky potion problem or something you feel ashamed or forbidden to ask about the dark arts. Please don’t think to ask me about matters of the heart,” he told her firmly.

“That’s exactly why I’m here professor.” Luna told him glancing up at his face, he was so much taller than her and highly attractive.

“Miss Lovegood I assure you there is nothing I can offer you on that point beyond basic mechanics of the physical act which I’m sure you already are aware of. You’d be better off even with Magonagall though you might think her an old spinster she may know more than you think. I will offer no potions to that end. Don’t ask.” He said looking down his nose at her, though he realised looking at her like this she was a cute young lady.

“I’m here for you Professor Snape. You are lonely and you heart aches so badly. Especially lately. It’s hard not to notice with all of your wandering.” She walked across the room gliding her hands across the fine polished wood surfaces without a speck of dust, her long shawl trailing across the floor behind her where she eventually let it fall in a puddle, seeming not to notice it was gone. He picked it up and draped it carefully across the back of a chair.

Luna noticed an open door to his private study that seemed unnervingly tidy for the amount of books and papers on the desk. Through there was a curtain which was probably his private lab. She could tell he was as tightly coiled in his private life as he was in this public one. Poor man she thought to herself. His rooms were impeccably neat and not because he commanded a house elf to do it. She had heard rumors he rarely let them in. The Professor kept it that way himself out of his own compulsion. 

“Miss Lovegood, enough nonsense. You know I won’t stand for it. Why have you come?” Snape gave her a forbidding look.

“Please sir, call me Luna if no one is about dislike formality as much as you cherish it. We are very unlike on that account, but not as different on others as you might imagine.”  
She turned to look at him as if she could see straight through his façade to the center of his soul. Not in details but in essence. It unnerved him. There was certainly a lot more to this young witch than most people realised, including himself. Maybe she wanted it that way? Maybe her flighty ethereal demeanor was a similar mask to the stern closed one he wore. He recalled a poem he’d read by Laurence Dunbar called “We Wear the Mask”, though more about a mask of happiness, and a muggle rock song he’d heard somewhere about trying on faces of a stranger.

“It’s entirely too silent in here sir but the lighting is pretty.” She waved her wand arm gracefully like a dancer and a thread of music spun its self out, the sound of one of those old music boxes that played changeable metal discs, then turned back to face him, “You are too severe with yourself, just like your name, our names' can trap us. Even mine that sounds so pretty is associated with the term lunatic. In Native American culture only those closest people have privy to ones true name.” Luna informed him with one of her obscure facts as shelingered by the bookshelf examining the book titles, “You need to let yourself give into temptations more often. It’s not always a bad thing, temptation; it’s just that so many perceive it that way.”  
Severus had turned away from her so she moved to face him directly, “I want you professor. I want to help you with that.”

Did she mean what he thought, Severus wondered? Was she offering herself to him nearly her father’s age? He who instilled fear and loathing in most? Why? While he thought, Luna had wandered into his bedroom, giving him no choice but to follow.

To herself Luna noted again the tidy preciseness of everything. She waved back the immaculate bedcovers and sat near the foot of the bed, dangling her feet off the end and kicking her shoes off which landed with two muffled thuds on the thick oriental carpet.

“Come sit here by me.” She patted the bed like a parent might to a child.

Professor Snape seemed to hesitate, his thoughts conflicted, and confused but then he went over to sit on the bed with her. Miss Lovegood reached out to take his hand as if to hold it, then noticed his boots.

“Why don’t you take off your shoes like I did Professor? It’s much more friendly and relaxed. Don’t you think?”

“I’ll have to get back up for a moment in that case.” Severus was not even sure why he was following her suggestion as he went over to the door where there was a boot jack bolted to the floor. He had to use it to pry off his boots, but had a sort of grace to the motion. There was a chair beside that and he placed the boots neatly next to it on the other side a pair of slippers which he moved to place on his feet.

“Go without them,” she told him and could see he struggled with that thought, though he left them there as he shut the bedroom door and sat back beside her.

‘It’s very cozy here,” Luna told him, shrugging her way out of a tattered lavender sweater to reveal a pale blue blouse beneath which highlighted her eyes. She wore no socks and kicked her pale feet back and forth in a childlike fashion, ruffling the old fashioned skirt with flounces of ruffled petticoats under it that she was wearing. Luna took his hands and held then it seemed to jolt his soul with a strange calm. “See? Isn’t this pleasant?”

Surprisingly Severus found he agreed. He’d never had a lady friend in this room. He had no heart for one after Lilly. There was a male lover he’d known since youth he sometimes entertained, but after several heartless tries he gave up on women altogether and he had never wanted to let one this close to his personal space. He had consistently turned away those few students brave enough to approach him in a sexual manner in attempt for a better grade, even when they were of consenting age and attractive. It offended his sense of propriety. He preferred to spend his spare time and nights alone with books and wine and walking alone. Solitary. No one came close. No one dared.

But Luna did. She laid her head against his shoulder and lightly flicked her fingers up the cuffs of his jacket. Why was he allowing her to be so familiar? Had she cast a spell somehow? But it felt so soothing to have her lean against him and he carefully put his arm around her feeling her warmth.

“You have far too many buttons Professor.” She gave a quick flick of her wand and the ones along his cuffs and vest undid themselves with a speedy fluttering. “There that’s better.” She flashed an endearing smile.

“Miss Lovegood, this is exceedingly unprofessional of me.” He told her looking rather ashamed. “I have never taken advantage of my status by having illicit affairs with students.” but still he reached out lightly and touched her hair which seemed to glow. How innocent was she? He didn’t want to be the despoiler no matter what desire was stirring in him or what she was offering for whatever her reason.

“If you are worried I’m a virgin don’t, that was done a while back,” she caught his concerned glance. ”Oh, it was done at my wish and very lovely, so don’t concern yourself sir. No need to be noble and avenge my honor. Though you would if I asked wouldn’t you?” Luna looked up at his face with her large deep eyes.

“I would Luna.” That was one thing he would always loath; a person being forced to do a thing against their will. He would do all he could to prevent it. “Can we pretend for this time we are much of a same age? That I am not your stern old professor?” Severus asked her. “Please, only while we are ever in this room alone, I give you leave to use my given name and prefer it in this circumstance.” He fixed his dark eyes on her.

“And if you wish it you can call me her name, I won’t mind at all. I know that is where you heart and thoughts will be, though your body is here.” He almost found her intuition frightening. Was she using subtle Occlumency? She read him like an open book where others saw it closed as he wished it, there would be no hidding from her.

“I don’t think you think so but you are a handsome man Profes...Severus. It’s just that you’ve taught everyone to fear you.” She raised his hands to her lips and kissed them.

“I’m glad you don’t fear me Luna. I think you see beyond this façade any way.”

“I do.” Luna now seemed to play the adult and lightly took his chin in her hand, scooping him to her for a quick teasing kiss. “Is that what you want?”

“Oh yes.” He moaned softly.

He ran his hand up through her hair massaging her head as he felt its silky texture with his long fingers. It smelled of violets and vanilla. He pressed his cheek against her cheek and ran his fingers back down across her ears and across her jaw line, neck, lips, in a touch that was barely a touch at all yet it seemed to sear his fingertips. He shivered.

“Kiss me Severus, really kiss me the way you would if this were perfectly as you would have things be.”

Luna’s lilting voice was soothing, hypnotic. He moved his head to angle it for that and strongly but without roughness or aggression, he did so. Her lips were soft and sweet and tasted off wintergreen. What must she think of him? He hoped nothing too badly as he deepened the kiss her mouth opening to his tongue. Giving in, he tried to forget about everything but the sensation and banish any thoughts it might not be right.

She eased off his jacket and vest. He cringed a bit when they hit the floor but didn’t stop kissing her neck where he had turned his attentions. She was glad of that, he needed to forget without the wine and she would help him. It was her mission to ease suffering and give comfort.

He smelled of a muddled of strange herbs from his potion makings and his mouth tasted freshly of wine. She knew he drank a little too much too often but he hid it well. She didn’t think he’d let it cross the line. He was far too controlled for that and wizards more often than muggles, managed to control falling into alcoholism.

“If you remove my shirt you will see the dark mark, Luna. If that will frighten you leave it on. I wouldn’t bear many to look on it.”

“It won’t frighten me. I already know.”

He wasn’t exactly sure what she meant regarding how she knew but she seemed intent on unbuttoning his shirt with her delicate hands and so he let her.

“If at any time you wish to stop any of this you are free to do so, no repercussions. I want to be sure you understand that even though I’m behaving in an uncharacteristically passive way so far.” Severus really didn’t understand why at all.

“I understand. You have that from me as well.”

Severus hugged her tightly as if she and the spell she seemed to be casting might suddenly fall away from under him and the thought of that frightened him more than he wanted to admit. Luna responded by circling her arms around him and rubbing his back and kissing his shoulders where she had pushed his shirt away, as he undid a few more buttons on hers and slid his hand beneath it. She had on some sort of cotton undershirt.

“Sorry I don’t have on fancy underwear but I’ll manage it for next time if you wish.”

“This is fine,” and somehow it was that hint of innocence that contradicted a bit with what seemed to be practice and she seemed to take for granted that there would be a next time already. That she would again be in his rooms with them undressing each other in this intimate way, a forgone conclusion before the act its self was even finalized. He was sure he was already consigned to one of Dante’s circles of hell so what difference would this make?

“Luna Lumier,” she whispered with only a hand gesture and a shaft of moon lite shone down on them from a window that was not there. Severus smiled.

“Do you like it? It’s one of my own charms.” His smile was charming in return when he let it out, she was pleased to discover.

“I like it very much,” he nodded.

“I like my lovers to be gentle. Some I’m afraid at times might break me,” Luna told him, for the first time a bit shyly. She seemed so insubstantial he still kept thinking, like she might float away in an instant, like a dandelion fluff or a feather in a breeze. He was the cold stone, hard rock, but that meant stability to some, maybe it would work at least for now.

They began to kiss again in the charmed shaft of moonlight, all the other lights dimmed nearly off with the music like little chimes in he background. Hands and mouths explored one another’s bodies as they divested each other of the clothing that remained. There was a comfort to this strange sexual encounter Severus had never known with anyone else. Luna stroked his cheek and hair in return as he stroked hers. She really did not look like Lilly in the least but he somehow felt reminded of Lilly by her, the kindness the caring. Who had ever since her death truly wished to ease his pain?  
Their hands touched each other in intimate places sending shivers everywhere. They were nearly silent, only the softest moans and sighs escaping. Discovering each what the other found delightful. She liked the back of her neck carressed and he on the hip and belly. It was rather serious love making. Luna seemed very skilled for one her age. Severus felt he’d always had a disconnection between the mind and the act, but this time it was a little less.

When the time seemed right Severus pressed his hardness inside her letting her control the speed, finding her rhythm. Eventually Luna rolled him over to his back and mounted him, he smiled up at her in moon light that would leave with her and she smiled to see him smile. That how they came, with her on top their pale bodies joined in her conjured shatt of moon light. It all seemed perfectly right with him in that moment, a sort of truth. Afterwards she lay beside him with her arms enclosing him and a leg draped over him, as if he was the one in need of protection. Maybe he was.

*~*

He wasn’t sure how they should part. He had full redressed when she did with her watching in veiled supprise as he did up all the buttons one by one.

Luna looked up at him. “I hope to make you wish for death a little less on these occasions…less than the wine does anyway.”

“How do you know I wish for death Luna?”

“A wish for death such as yours Severus cannot be hidden. It rolls off you like waves on a crashing sea. It burns up your aura. I’ve never seen one quite like yours. You dwell in the wish for death more than you dwell in your present life.” Severus was stunned by her deep perception. He could not deny the truths of it at all as he listened to her speak.

“It’s why you let yourself be marked,” she touched his arm. “You really don’t care at all how it ends up for you.” They had walked to the door and she gave him a long parting hug, her smooth cheek pressed to the buttons on his chest.

“I’ll send you an owl or give you notice in the halls to see me,” he told her. “Come if you are able. You’ve been a great solace to me." He carressed her soft hair one final time as he held her against his body. "I have revealed a part of me to you no one is ever shown." He took her chin in his hand with care but was stern again in a moment as he said, “I hope you can respect that and keep your own counsel.”

“Have you ever once even as much as suspected that I have been having other affairs here Professor?” she replyed as if admitting something without directly saying it.

“No, Miss Lovegood, I never did. Not even with another student, like many of your peers have.”

“No worries Professor,” Luna said softly, opening the door he had unlocked. “I am as silent as a feather on a stone.” 

Severus watched as she skiped away down the dark hall as if there were not a care in the world.

THE END


End file.
